An Introduction to Mentoring
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“A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could, because someone else thought they could.” - Zig Ziglar, author This primer is for those who are keen to mentor others.
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An Introduction to Mentoring
- 1. MENTORING SKILLS SESSION 1 SALONI KAUL INDIA TALENT SERVICES 16th Sept 2013 !
- 2. AGENDA • Understand how you have benefited from mentoring in the past. • Determine what you have to offer as a mentor.
- 3. MENTORING “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could, because someone else thought they could.” - Zig Ziglar, author
- 4. WHAT IS MENTORING? • Mentoring is a relationship. • It’s also a journey. • On this expedition are two people. • One person believes in the other’s talents and is committed to that person’s success. • The other is willing and open to learning, and growing, and becoming the best they can. • Both stand to get a lot from the relationship. • And, as with any interpersonal journey, there are challenges.
- 5. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MENTOR? Mentoring is a skill that can be learned and developed. Good mentoring comes from being aware of what it takes to enter into a mentoring relationship. A genuine desire for success and a clear commitment to the process are necessary. When done well, mentoring is great for improving the productivity and effectiveness of the people involved. It’s not a matter of luck, and there are many tools that you can use to build meaningful mentoring relationships.
- 6. WHAT IS A MENTORING RELATIONSHIP? • A mentoring relationship is typically characterized by an older and more experienced person assisting a younger or less experienced person to grow and learn. • This is not a new concept for personal and professional growth and development. It has been practiced formally and informally for years.
- 7. WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? • Mentoring is an efficient way of developing talented people within your organization, of supporting professional goals, and sharing skills in a mutually beneficial partnership. • Effective mentoring focuses on the human relationships, commitments, and resources needed to help a less experienced person find success and fulfillment in their professional pursuits.
- 8. WHO IS A MENTOR ? • Mentors are not power figures. • They are not authoritarian in their approach. • Rather, a mentor is someone who helps someone else learn something quicker and more thoroughly than if that person is left to discover things on his or her own. • Some mentors are encouragers, some are advisors, and some are more like teachers. • Regardless of style, mentoring requires a significant investment of time and energy to helping another grow.
- 9. DURATION • Mentoring can occur in a variety of ways. • Mentoring may be a one-shot intervention or a long- term relationship. • It may have been developed formally or it can happen in an informal setting. • However, when you‟ve been “touched” by a mentor, you know it.
- 10. FORMAL / INFORMAL MENTORING • Formal mentoring happens when a specific relationship is established with a senior person. • Often this is to teach new skills or to groom someone for future roles and responsibilities. • Informal mentoring can come from an ongoing relationship, where one person listens, helps discuss problems, and shares special knowledge or wisdom.
- 11. YOUR MENTORING EXPERIENCES/ BENEFITS • What kind of mentoring did you receive? • How did it compare to the mentoring received by people around you? • What did you find helpful and unhelpful about the mentoring you received? • How well did the mentoring you received apply to your professional and/or personal success? • How well did your mentors prepare you for your career? • What other kinds of mentoring would have been helpful to you?
- 12. ACTION Consider significant events and people in your life. Think about these in terms of mentoring, and then answer the following questions. • Have you had an “ah ha” moment in your life? Who was there to help you make the discovery? How did this person impact your life and in what way could he/ she be considered a mentor? • Has someone ever quoted something or said something to you that was profound that you‟ve carried the meaning with you ever since? Who is the person? Would you consider this person a mentor? Why or why not? What mentoring qualities did you learn from this person?
- 13. ACTION • Is there a person who helped you uncover a latent talent, ability, or desire? How did this person encourage you and help you with your discovery? How has this impacted your life and your mentoring vision?
- 14. BECOMING A MENTOR • Good mentoring rarely “just happens.” • It develops from reflection, planning, and an understanding of your unique qualities as a mentor. • Just as other people mentored you in different ways, you will mentor others in your unique way. • It is important to remember that effective mentoring is multidimensional. • The best mentors adjust their role to meet the mentee‟s needs. There is no single formula for good mentoring, however, there are key characteristics and behaviors that build a foundation for good mentoring.
- 15. FOUNDATION FOR GOOD MENTORING • Approachability - let your mentees know you are interested and available. Share personal information and relate to them. It will be particularly helpful to them to know that they can come to you, and that you will care. • Information sharing - be willing to share openly, and establish a pattern of mutual information exchange. Encourage them to try new things and expand their own knowledge base. • Open communication - find ways to make sure contact is regular and meaningful. • Trustworthiness - ensure your mentees feel free to discuss issues with you without fear of reprisal.
- 16. FOUNDATION FOR GOOD MENTORING • Respect - let the mentee know you respect their time and opinions. Share what you learn from them. Acknowledge their skills and progress. • Appropriate feedback - let your mentees know how you feel in a respectful and gentle manner. Timely, assertive, empathic, and honest communication is important. • Technical expertise - remain up to date and current with your own knowledge. • Supportiveness - work on being motivating, encouraging, positive and empowering. • Commitment - invest enough time in the relationship, and mentor regularly. • Desire to help - make sure you are truly interested in helping someone else, without a promise of help in return.
- 17. CONTD. • These qualities tell your mentee: • That he/ she is valuable enough for you to spend time with • That you will be honest with him or her • That you are engaged in and supportive of his or her development and success. • All are powerful messages that will help your mentee get through challenges and emerge better, stronger, and more capable. • Mentoring is also very much a two-way street. • It is a process in which both mentor and mentee benefit from the networking, sharing of ideas and interaction that can lead to lifelong friendship and mutual growth.
- 18. COACHING VS MENTORING • These terms are often used interchangeably when in fact they are key differences. Mentoring is much more relational, whereas coaching is functional. • You coach to teach a skill and improve current productivity and performance. • Mentoring takes on a longer term and broader focus. It’s not limited to current performance or current activities. The focus of mentoring is more on preparing a person for future challenges and giving him or her life skills as well as technical skills. Essentially a mentor may also coach, however, a coach is not a mentor.
- 19. ARE YOU A GOOD MENTOR? • What characteristics do you posses that make you a good mentor or potential mentor? • What benefits do you believe you will gain from a mentoring relationship? • What do you expect to discuss, explore, and provide? • Career options and preparation? • Your own work? • Technical issues? • How to network? • How to maintain a balance in work and life? • How to identify and fulfill personal dreams? • Workplace realities?
- 20. REVERSE MENTORING • Reverse mentoring is the practice of more senior staff pumping younger staff for their wisdom. • What makes the younger generation tick? • What technologies should be used to tap into younger people’s thinking and behavior? • Reverse mentoring is an efficient way to bridge the generation gaps in organizations. It leads to significant insights and increased performance. • It’s also a great opportunity for younger workers to connect with the company and enhance their level of engagement and commitment.